Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1887-11-09
STURGIS ADVERTISER.
GROW . HARBERD. ProprIstors.


one and lived to tell of it, has witnessed a
spectacle to be wildly remembered allhis,
days. A stampede was common occur
ence In the life Of every western hunter
twenty years ago; but no one will ever
look upon one again. The hide hunters
haven't left score Of the animals alive.
During my time. have had several
close shaves from stampedes, but little
the closest call ever got was the means
OF saving my scalp. It was in 1867. and
pretty near on the line between Kansas
and Colorado, at a point on the Arickare
branch Of the Republican river. There
was famous grazing ground for the buff
falo, and there he was undisturbed, ex-
cept by the Indians, who killed only when
they wanted meat. 7 have seen herds
In that country which numbered up to a
hundred thousand, and which covered
the prairie as far as the eye could see.
What creates stampede? Nothing
anything. While the buffalo is born in a
wild state, and ought to get accustomed
to storms, the sight Of wolves, and all
kinds Of noises. he is the most timid ami
NAL on earth. have seen the coming up
Of a dark cloud stampede ten thousand
buffaloes. I have known the howl Of a
coyotelto set big herd in motion. A
flash Of lightning or clap Of thunder
seemed to scare them half to death, al
though you would argue that they would
get used to 1t. And once started, nothing
but a mountain could turn the great wave
aside and only exhaustion would bring
them back to their senses. After herd
had fairly started, terror seemed to take
complete possession of them, and it was
the devil seize the last one. Then it was
woe to the pioneer or hunter who hap
pened to be in their path without grove
Loup Fork Of the Platte river, an emil
grant camp which had been run over by a
stampede. There had been seven wagons
and twenty-four people, with about thirty
head of horses and cattle. The rushing,
terror stricken herd struck the camp just
at daybreak and was fifteen or twenty
minutes passing. Only one human being
escaped man who was carried off on
the back of buffalo and left at spot ten
miles away. Not an animal was left, not
a vehicle escaped destruction. saw the
site Of the camp about noon Of that day,
and there wasn't a piece Of any Of the
heavy wagons which I could not have
carried off under my arm. The people
had been tramped into the earth-annihil-
ated wiped out. The lNnains could
scarcely be recognized as those Of human
beings.
But as to my own adventure. There
were four hunters of us In the locality
spoken Of, killing various kinds Of game
and doing little trapping, and though
plenty of redskins were in that country,
they did not get on to us for week. We
had camp on small run or a creek,
with grove Of about dozen trees for
shelter, and about two miles to the north
was spring and another grove. The
Indians hadn't got hold Of Wholesalers
and knew nothing Of reyolvers in those
days, and a war party Of less than twenty
five would have hesitated to attack four
hunters. Wekept our eyes open, how
ever, and one was on the watch while the
other three slept. We had been in the
camp nine or ten days, and constantly
surrounded by buffaloes. when, one after
noon, just before sunset, it was apparent
from the actions Of the animals that some
thing was In the wind. The detach-
ments were consolidating all stray bulls
joining the herds, and almost every buff
falo ceased feeding and acted anxiously
and Ill at ease. That meant Indians.
Curious as you may think it, the presence
Of an Indian will disturb the buffaloes
sooner than that Of the white man. We
couldn't say whether it was war party
hanging around to attack us, or hunting
party lowering on the TANKS Of the great
herd. but we made all preparations that
night to defend ourselves.
have spoken Of the second grove. It
was composed Of few stunted cotton
woods and was In no sense shelter.
Now this is what happened during the
night. A war party of thirty-five Arapa-
hoe Indians took up their position in this
little grove, calculating to sweep down
upon us at daybreak and carry our camp
by storm. Along toward daylight they
mounted and rode softly down to within a
quarter Of mile of US, and there waited
for day to break. They would be OBJ
served by the sentinel but would make
rush and carry the camp. Well, it was
just coming day. and five minutes more
would have discovered them to the SEN
tfnel, when the big herd, which had been
gathered to the north Of us, began stam-
pede. The sentinel heard them at the
first start off, and reused us up, and by
the time we had our guns In hand we
could see the Indian war party. They
knew what was up better than we did, but
they were caught between two fires, and
the chief was too slow witted for the oc-
casion. His policy should have been to
charge US. He might have lost six or
eight men, but the shelter Of the grove
would have saved the rest and given
them our scalps to boot. He might
not have known our strength, and
20. after spending the valuable moments